Ireland today increasingly operates in a digital economy where its competitiveness is strongly supported by an innovative technology sector including Irish and multinational companies which are growing and developing. This is also a world of rapid change, in which Ireland’s success lies not just in the hands of our current generation of entrepreneurs and innovators but also in the minds and skills of young people who will shape our future national progress.
Educating our young people in digital skills from an early age is essential. That includes the national curriculum where we need to see a greater emphasis on digital content and digital literacy, all the way from primary through to third level education. It also includes the provision of high quality Internet services throughout our education system.
Modern technological resources can help children to flourish in today’s education system and onwards into the digital economy. That is why the Government backed HEAnet schools broadband programme is crucial for Ireland. For our part, UPC Business is proud to be a provider of superfast broadband connectivity in this important national initiative.
When it is completed the HEAnet programme will cover all post-primary schools nationwide, over 700 in total. Over 300 schools are now equipped with UPC fibre broadband including public, private and Education Training Board schools nationwide. Currently, 28 schools are connected under the dedicated 100 Mbps Access Framework and broadband speeds of up to 500 Mbps are available to schools in 26 cities and towns to date. UPC is also underpinning this with fast support and bundled services including Wi-Fi, phones and digital TV.
The development of digital skills by young people from a very early age is essential for Ireland. There is currently an overall low level of capacity to blend ICT into lessons in Irish classrooms (particularly at primary level) and this is reflected in global studies. In the OECD’s PISA study, Irish schoolchildren rank 17th out of 28 OECD countries and 22nd out of 44 worldwide for computer-based problem solving. While the actual availability of ICT in schools is strong, the data tends to show that schools may not be incorporating ICT into their lessons as much as is necessary to make a desirable impact.
UPC is a digital company and we believe that a key element of these developments should centre around computer coding skills for young people. But coding is not even a part-time subject in Irish schools. By contrast our nearest neighbour the UK in September became the first major country to make coding a compulsory subject for children in publicly-funded schools from the age of five. Ireland needs to see a greater concentration on curriculum-based digital skills development from an early age. There is undoubtedly great progress being achieved as we see excellent new broadband capacities in our schools. Now we must recognise that innovative digital teaching methods at a young age are essential for growth, creativity and the marketplace of ideas of tomorrow.
Aidan D’Arcy is Public Sector Manager of UPC Business
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